Where were we?
After enjoying the month of July at lakes, in mountains, on trails and in the sun, we’re back on the saddle as football season is here. Our WSU Cougars have three days of practices under their belts and soon they’ll be in full pads. There are 74 (!) new players on the roster, due to the combined factors of a new coaching staff and simply the way of the world of college sports nowadays. It’s going to take me some time to learn the new faces, and I’m anticipating getting it all down by,
oh, week 8 or so.
Preseason practices can be pretty monotonous for the average fan, and I feel for the reporters who have to stand in the heat each day watching period after period after period. The storylines aren’t always writing themselves, but report they must.
As a fan, I’d point to this J.J. Watt tweet when trying to glean any insight from practice reports:
Training Camp “stats” are insane and ridiculous.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 24, 2025
Used to think it was always just people joking, but now seeing them seriously reported.
You have no idea what the purpose of that period is, what the goals are, what the context is, etc.
It could be a strictly 3rd & Long…
So instead of dwelling on how the team is practicing, let’s—as Woody Paige would often say on Around the Horn (RIP)—LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE!
Without a traditional media day for WSU (or Oregon State for that matter), and without media and coaches polls for the Pac-2, there wasn’t a lot to talk about leading up to the beginning of preseason practices. But WSU’s opponents are all part of a conference, so let’s see where they landed in their preseason media polls.
(I acknowledge that this exercise may be on par with what Watt’s referring to in terms of importance or validity, but what the heck, it’s Aug. 2 for crying out loud.)
Idaho, Big Sky Conference
Media Poll: 4th out of 12
The Vandals are breaking in a new coaching staff, too, and are coming off three consecutive FCS playoff appearances. They received one first place vote in the media poll.
San Diego State, Mountain West Conference
Media Poll: 8th out of 12
This future Pac-12 member is now a basketball school.
North Texas, American Conference
Media Poll: 9th out of 14
The Mean Green might not be so mean this season.
Washington, Big Ten Conference
Media Poll: 10th out of 18
Hope the jump to a new conference was worth it.
Colorado State, Mountain West Conference
Media Poll: 4th out of 12
The Rams may be much improved.
Ole Miss, SEC
Media Poll: 7th out of 16
In the land of “It just means more,” the Runnin’ Rebels were one of 11 teams to receive a vote for conference champion.
Virginia, ACC
Media Poll: 14th out of 17
The ACC media poll was a bit weird. While Clemson was the runway no. 1, five other schools received first-place votes, including preseason no. 7 Florida State (4!) and preseason no. 11 Virginia Tech.
Toledo, MAC
Coaches Poll: 1st out of 13
It doesn’t appear that the MAC releases a media poll, but unlike most of WSU’s other opponents’ conferences, the coaches poll is here to serve us. The Rockets were picked to win the MAC, though it wasn’t unanimous. Still, seven of the 13 coaches had Toledo atop their poll.
Oregon State, Pac-12
Polls? Haha, we’ll settle this on the field....twice!
Louisiana Tech, Conference USA
Conference USA doesn’t do a traditional media poll. Instead it released what it calls the “Bowl Confidence Index,” where media members score each team on its likelihood of reaching a bowl game. Louisiana Tech was given a 75% chance to play in the postseason, good for 4th out of 12 teams, one of which (Missouri State) is ineligible for postseason play.
So there you go.
James Madison, Sun Belt Conference
Coaches Poll: 1st out of 7 in the East Division
The Dukes were an FCS team just four years ago and are now one of the better mid-major FBS teams. They’re the second WSU opponent picked to win either their conference or their division.
So what does this all mean? Preseason polls are mostly (entirely?) meaningless, but they at least give you some sort of gauge on how good or bad WSU’s opponents may be.
More from cougcenter.com:
- Theo Lawson gives his All-Camp team as the Cougars season gets closer
- Checking in on WSU in the SB Nation football preview
- WSU ranked No. 24 in AP Top 25 preseason poll
- WSU football recruiting: Patrick Nunn commits to the Cougs
- 2017 WSU Football Preview: The Gravitron Diaries 4.1
- NFL preseason Week 2: How the Cougars fared
- The CougCenter Hour: fall camp update with Theo Lawson, volleyball preview with Jen Greeny
